ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible: Christ in All of Scripture, Grace for All of Life

by Anonymous

"This study Bible is a must-have to help us see Jesus Christ throughout the whole Bible." --biblereviewguys.com

The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is designed to help readers see Christ in all of Scripture, and grace for all of life.

It features book introductions, gospel-centered study notes, and a series of all-new articles--written by a team of over 50 pastors and scholars. This content explains passage-by-passage how God's redemptive purposes culminate in the gospel and apply to the lives of believers today.

Readers will be challenged to see how the message of the gospel transforms sinners from the inside out.


Over 375,000 words of gospel-centered study notes Introduction that outlines specific uses for the Bible Updated design and typesetting based on the original ESV Gospel Transformation Bible released in 2013 Includes 5 new articles on topics such as the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, the gospel in the Old Testament, the covenants, and more Book introductions Concordance 80,000 cross-references Ribbon marker Smyth-sewn binding Size: 6.125" x 9.125" 9-point Bible text; 8-point study notes 2,096 pages Single-column, paragraph format Packaging: None

2096 pages, Hardcover

Published February 28, 2019

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is a great Bible, with a beautiful cover. This Bible has a number of features that I really enjoyed, including:

-Over 375,000 words of gospel, centered study notes
-Book Introductions
-80,000 cross-references
-Ribbon marker
-9 point Bible text and 8-point study notes
-Single-column, paragraph format

In addition, there were some other features that I enjoyed about this Bible. There are a variety of maps in the back of the Bible, along with a glossary of terms and a table of weights and measures. This Bible also includes 5 new articles on topics such as the relationship between the Old Testaments and New Testaments, the covenants and more. Overall, I really enjoyed this Bible, it was easy to read and I found the study notes to e really helpful.

Thank you to the publisher, Crossway, for sending me a review copy of this Bible.

[Camron Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire Bible is all about Jesus. The gospel is threaded through every book of the Old Testament as well as the New. There are many Christians who don’t believe this and feel that Old Testament seems largely disconnected from the New Testament. Christians should welcome more and more resources designed to show the unity of both testaments and that Christ is in all of Scripture. That’s why Crossway’s updated version of The Gospel Transformation Study Bible is a welcome addition to the Bible market.

This is Crossway’s second edition of the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible with the first edition simply being called The Gospel Transformation Bible. I owned a copy of the first edition and this new edition comes with definite improvements. If you enjoy the first edition, you will definitely love the second. Let’s look at what makes this such a valuable resource.

First, let’s talk about features. Each book of the Bible has an introduction preceding it. There are over 375,000 words of gospel-centered study notes. There are five new articles (one of the biggest values I find in study Bibles are the articles). There’s a concordance and 80,000 cross references. This is truly a feature-packed Bible.

One of the coolest features of this Bible that took me by surprise is the introduction. It outlines the goals of the contributors and creators of this Bible. Following that, it provides specific uses for the Bible and invites the reader to purposefully use the product. I’ve never raved about an introduction to a Bible before, but this one is truly worth mentioning.

The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up this hardback Bible is that it is very pleasing to the eyes. The first edition had a simpler design featuring black, red, and white as the primary colors. In the second edition Crossway has opted for a complete redesign with a very attractive blue and white wave pattern with accents of gold. You’ll even find this wave pattern if you remove the dust jacket, which I was incredibly pleased to discovery. Crossway did not cheap out when it comes to design.

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When you open the Bible, you’ll find crisp, white paper that has minor ghosting. You can faintly see text from the other side of the page, but honestly I am pretty impressed with the thickness of the paper. For a Bible this size, it would be easy for Crossway to choose to use thin paper, but text on the opposite side is hardly noticeable and I didn’t find it to be a distraction at all. You will notice in a comparison, that this second edition is slightly thicker than the first, but that is also because there have been some added features.

I’ve said this in other reviews, but I’ll say it again. I love that this Bible is in single column format. It’s a personal preference, but I much prefer a single column Bible to a double. You can take notes in the margins (which there is decent width for) and books aren’t supposed to be double column—magazines are.

This Bible comes with a single ribbon marker and in the back you’ll find the articles mentioned above, a topical index, the concordance, and some nice color maps. This Bible is feature-rich and a valuable resource that would anyone would be pleased to have on their shelf.

Crossway has truly created a worthy successor to The Gospel Transformation Bible. If you have the first one and have found it useful, I think you will find The Gospel Transformation Study Bible to be a valuable upgrade. If you’ve never owned either edition and you’d like to understand more how the gospel interweaves through The Old Testament and New then you’ll truly find this to be a valuable resource.

[Portia Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible is unquestionably my favorite book! God’s Word is so precious to me, and it is no secret that I love to get my hands on a new Bible. Over the years I have purchased and have been gifted too many Bibles to count, but I certainly don’t regret having any of them. One day I hope to have a library with an entire wall dedicated solely to my collection of Bibles. The most recent addition to my plethora of Bibles is the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible. This particular study Bible was written by more than 50 pastors and Bible scholars and includes over 375,000 words of study notes, 80,000 cross-references, and even a concordance.

In most cases, it is standard protocol to read each word in a book before writing a review. However, due to the copious amount of content included in this Bible, I had to develop another system for reviewing. I have taken a good bit of time to study this Bible and will organize my thoughts into four categories, followed by an overall review.

TRANSLATION
As indicated in the title, the “meat” or Scripture of this particular Bible is translated in the English Standard Version. This translation is widely used among many believers today and can be easily read and understood by mature Bible readers as well as novice Bible readers. Personally, I am a huge proponent of the ESV for two specific reasons: reliability and readability. While no translation is entirely perfect, (based on my studies) I have found that the ESV is an excellent literal translation that does not compromise the intended meaning of the Scriptures. Known as a “word-for-word” translation, the ESV aligns very closely with original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic manuscripts. In terms of readability, the ESV is among my top choices of easily understood translations. All in all, I think there are few translations available today that provide such a great balance of textual accuracy and comprehension.

GENERAL CONTENT
What I love most about the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is the gospel-centered commentary. For many years I struggled with seeing and understanding that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be found throughout all 66 books of the Bible. Unfortunately, I studied Scripture in such a disjointed fashion that I actually viewed the various books of the Bible as isolated stories as opposed to components of one big story. This Bible is perfect for helping the reader to see the “Big Story” of Scripture. The content in this Bible illustrates the fullness of God’s redemptive plan and aids believers in applying those truths to their life. The introductory content found at the beginning of each book is informative, engaging, and lays the foundation for seeing Christ as you read/study that particular book. I also love that the commentary is written very plainly and is easy to comprehend. Each time I open the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible, I am enthused to turn each page and read more!

THEOLOGICAL DEPTH
I must admit that I am a full proponent of theologically rich content in any book, but especially biblical commentary. There is a great benefit in understanding the biblical, historical, systematic, and practical theological truths that are presented throughout Scripture. The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible certainly does not disappoint in terms of highlighting all of these. Additionally, I have found that the theological insights included in this Bible are not only rich, but they are communicated in a way that is not intimidating or overbearing for the reader. Having examined commentary from both the Old and New Testaments, I would comfortably recommend this Bible to the new or mature Christian.

AESTHETICS
While the look and feel of a particular Bible may not be very important for many, aesthetics is an element that I personally like to take into consideration. As part of this review, Crossway provided me with a complimentary hardcover copy of this Bible through the Blog Review Program. Although my preference is the leather-bound Bible, I was delighted with the design of this hardcover Bible. The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is beautifully designed, and the theme seamlessly flows from the cover of the Bible, throughout the pages, and even in the online content shared by Crossway. As for the layout, the Scriptures are listed in a single-column format on each page with cross-references listed in the centermost portion of the Bible. The commentary is recorded in a double-column form at the bottom of each page. Spacing and margins are relatively small, but still large enough to scribble a few notes if needed. This Bible is available in the following styles: TruTone® - (Burgundy/Red) Timeless Design; Top Grain Leather (Black), Hardcover, TruTone® (Deep Brown).

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible. This Bible has challenged me to see and apply the gospel-centered truths of Scripture to my own life and ministry. I am truly thankful to those who have contributed to this faithful work, and I pray that this Bible will be helpful to people near and far.

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea how hard it could be to review a Study Bible until I sat down to do it a couple days ago! Wow, it’s hard to put such a big work into a few words!

When I saw the chance to review the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible come up, I was intrigued by the idea. I generally read from the KJV, but every now and then portions of the ESV have really spoken to my heart in a time and place where I needed God’s wisdom. I’ve also come to the place where the centrality of the gospel to the Bible, world history, and personal history, have become of utmost importance to me, so when I saw a Study Bible centered on the gospel, I was also intrigued. And a little excited when I learned later that I’d get a print copy of the book!

One of my major questions lately has been—how can we find the gospel in the Old Testament? Judges, Esther, Job, Proverbs, the prophets? How is the most important theme of the Bible shared through those books?

I was quite impressed by the amount of depth contained in the study notes. They didn’t always resonate with me, but even very familiar stories (like the book of Esther) took on a new significance for me. One of my most favorite parts of the experience was seeing how God’s purposes have always been acted out—though man may do his best to work against Him, God always prevails.

After seeing some of the gospel principles in the well-loved stories, I was also impressed by how applicable those principles are across the board. Like Esther, we might not find ourself in perfect circumstances, but God can and will still use us. One quote I liked was, “Though we might not see His hand, God is at work even in circumstances that seem doomed.” Like Job, we might not understand the pain—but we can allow God to create beauty out of our brokenness. And of course, in order for His work to happen, we must be humbled under His hand first.

I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what this Study Bible has to offer, probably mostly because the Word of God is so rich in meaning. But I have come away with three things that I really appreciate in this particular Study Bible:

1) Seeing Gospel principles pointed out throughout the Bible is a huge gift. I firmly believe we must have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to help us gain perspective, and I believe what is given here could be that gift of perspective in a lot of situations. My view of the Bible will likely never be the same again—in a very good way.

2) Specific doctrines don’t seem to be pushed here very much (or maybe I just didn’t pick up on them!). For example, 1 Cor. 11 could be a hot-button topic for some people, and I appreciated the fact that while they acknowledged the differences, they didn’t push one particular interpretation. Instead, they focused on the gospel truths in the passage (how godly relationships should work, how God’s purpose since creation has been to see the love within the Godhead reflected by the church, etc.).

3) Action steps to live out a more gospel-centered life. It seems like wherever the topic of the gospel comes up, there is always some sort of action in response to the gospel that must or should happen. And that’s shown throughout the study notes, too. I love seeing how the gospel was lived out in the lives of others, and realizing that that’s possible in my life, too, by the power of God!

Like I said, it’s hard to sum this up. There is so much I haven’t read yet—I only really thoroughly read two books’ worth of study notes in preparation for this review, and excerpts elsewhere. However, if you’re looking for strengthening for your Christian walk, desire to see how the gospel is central to the entire Bible, or would like to have a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures, this might be a good option for you.

I requested a free review copy of this book from Crossway Publishers, and this is my honest opinion of it.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll put it right out there: I love love love this study Bible! It has officially replaced the Bible I’ve been using the past couple years that just wasn’t quite what I wanted. I think I finally found it! Here’s why:

First, I highly prefer the English Standard Version (ESV) and New King James Versions (NKJV). This one is the ESV, so it meets the first criteria.

Second, the page layout is single column format, rather than double column. I don’t recall reading any other book that has a double column layout except for a study Bible. I simply think it breaks up the text too much for my tastes.

Third, the comments in the footers pertain to the overarching gospel story the Bible proclaims, rather than how a single editor interprets passages. Therefore, most footer comments don’t handle just single verses, but larger passages that support the Bible’s story of the gospel.

Fourth, the outside margins are quite large, right around an inch wide! The inside margin is rather narrow, however. But there is ample space to write notes, which is a big deal for me. In this picture, I've placed a standard size mechanical pencil in the binding for reference. Passages with large amounts of poetry (such as Psalms and other locations) provide ample room for lengthy notes!


Fifth, the concordance is relatively large. It’s obviously not huge like a stand-alone concordance, but for a Bible it is satisfactory. There’s also a quality topical reference section adjacent to the concordance that is also satisfactory.

Sixth, many of the names of the general editors and staff are recognizable: Brian Chapell and Dane Ortlund are the general editors. Other contributors of commentaries include Michael Horton, Kevin DeYoung, Jared C. Wilson, David Helm, Greg Gilbert, and Mike Bullmore, just to name a handful.

Finally, the page thickness is sufficient for writing in it with a sharpened pencil without the pencil cutting/tearing through. A huge pet peeve of mine is super thin Bible pages. The pages in this Bible are not ultra thick (which would make for an even thicker overall Bible), but they are also not onion skin thin!

Rating: I definitely give this Bible 5 stars!

Disclaimer: I received this Bible free of charge from Crossway in exchange for my unbiased review of it. All opinions are mine, and I was not required to provide a positive review of it.

[Becca Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the box this is one gorgeous looking Bible! It probably helps that my favorite color is blue, but I absolutely LOVE the design on the cover. As is the norm, the cover you see advertised is what the cardstock sleeve looks like, but underneath is a bit different. I really like that the wet-paint design is still present on the actual hardcover (see image), although it's a more basic design with no title on the front (but it's written in gold on the binding).
If you've ever used an ESV study Bible before you are probably aware that they tend to be a bit "heftier" than the other translations. As someone who prefers study Bibles but didn't want a giant one weighing half a ton or a smaller one with microscopic text, I'll admit it took me quite a while to finally settle on which one I wanted to get when I started going to a church that used the translation. This one is still a bit larger but I am actually able to grasp the binding with a single hand (which I actually can't do with my other one but I also have very small hands). I would still consider this a larger study Bible, but you could still functionally use it as a church and home Bible.
Inside the design is very simple with all black text. I'd consider it a comfortable font to read. The Bible text and study notes are written in two different fonts. I personally would have liked to see a bit more design go into the book introductions, but they are simple yet informative. There is a single gray ribbon marker to help keep your place. Perhaps to keep the size down (which I won't complain about), but I didn't notice any "extras" added aside from the study notes. I would consider this a more basic or minimalist study Bible when it comes to design and extras, but there is still plenty of content found within the study notes.
Overall I like this Bible a lot and would consider it a great option for your next study Bible.
*I received a copy of this Bible from Crossway. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love this Study Bible published by Crossway Publishers. First, the print of both the Scripture and the Footnotes are easy enough to read. I love the cover design which is perfect for a man or woman. There are maps, and sections for personal information (ex. marriages, deaths, …) and a ribbon to hold the reader’s place. At the beginning of each book, information is given for author and date, how the Gospel ties into that book of the Bible, and an outline for that book. I also feel this hardback book is very durable. I read the book of Ruth and found it comfortable and sound reading. This Bible lays flat which makes it perfect as a study tool.

The only thing I didn’t like was the scripture references in the sidebar. They were not big enough even with my glasses on. I believe if that print was just a little bigger it would be easier to read and still not take away from the text. However, I do like that the references are in the sidebar instead of the middle of the page, or at the bottom.

Would I recommend this Bible? Yes! It’s perfect for YA – Adults!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Jessie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Bible is excellent. I would highly recommend it.

Aesthetically speaking, all the blue colors are so pleasing to the eye. It is quite thick and a little heavy. But I did feel that the text of both the Bible and the notes were good sized. Easy to read. Sometimes the notes can be so small. The notes in this Bible are a better font size.
The notes are more collective in nature. They seem to be more in summary of several verses instead of a note for every verse. Which at first I was a little nervous about. I typically like notes on each verse specifically. However, after reading more and more of the notes, I found it better. I can better understand the text as a whole instead of picking a verse here and there. The notes help bring the verses together and help the reader get a more well rounded view of what is happening. I love to use this Bible along with other Bibles that have verse by verse notes. It has greatly increased my understanding of passages I'm reading. I can clearly see how each part of the Bible speaks to the gospel. This Bible has helped with that.
I received a copy of this Bible from Crossway. I was in no way required to write a review. All thoughts are my own.

[Julie D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Bible has so much packed inside to make reading and studying the Bible a pleasure. The cover is gorgeous, with it's blue marble effect, as well. I love how it lays flat and feels sturdy in my hand. The dust cover is beautiful but the Bible without it is beautiful as well.

The text is quite easy to read, although the study notes are a bit smaller. However, I didn't have any trouble reading the study notes despite them being a smaller. One thing I like about the study notes is that they are extensive and really explain the Scriptures in a detailed way.

I also love the explanation in the front of the Bible on how to use the study notes, footnotes and other extras inside this Bible. There's also a section to record family information, maps, and a concordance.

This Bible is wonderful and a great resource for your time in the Word. With all it's wonderful study notes, you'll get a greater understanding of God's Word and what could be better than that?

I highly recommend this Bible and give it 5 stars.

*This Bible was provided to me by Crossway. I received a copy of this Bible to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this Bible

[Nay Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received a copy for review.

I think this is a pretty good Bible. I am a fan of the ESV translation as it is an easy to read translation for both new believers and seasoned ones. I am in love with the design and color of the Bible. White and blue marble with gold accents -- GORGEOUS. I love that this a Smyth-sewn Bible...we love those. This Bible also comes with one ribbon bookmark, but I wish there were two. This is not a red letter text, but it doesn't bother me as much.

This is a single column study Bible which I've grown to love the single column style. The study notes are amazing as they focus on the gospel throughout the Bible and give factual information. The space provided on the side makes it great for using as a journaling Bible or adding stickers if need be. I love the topical index because it gives you so many words to focus on -- great for doing a specified word study.

My favorite thing about this Bible is the focus on the gospel throughout the entire Bible as a whole. It helps to make the Old Testament more "relevant" to our lives now and brings the entire view of the Bible from Old to New focused on story of Christ.

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossway’s goal with this study Bible is to “enable readers to understand that the whole Bible is a unified message of the gospel of God’s grace culminating in Christ Jesus,” and to help you apply the truth of God’s word to your life everyday.

Crossway really hit that goal with this Bible and it's Gospel-centered focus. The Gospel Transformation Study Bible is a Bible that is reliably translated and includes resources that are accessible, understandable, and applicable to life.

As we have come to expect from Crossway, this is a very attractive Bible that is a joy to read, work with, and simply use daily. They also continue their tradition of ensuring that their ESV BIbles aren't only attractive, but practical and useful.

I would say this Bible is useful for any believer looking for a study Bible that excels at connecting all of Scripture to the grace of the Gospel.

* I received this book in return for an honest (but not necessarily favorable) review from Crossway Books in participation with Crossway’s Blog Review Program

[Iain Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. Got it in the deluxe leather ;)
The creators said it is more like a sermon bible rather than a lecture bible (ESV study bible).
This bible is great for daily readings, helping you align your mind and behaviour on the gospel every day of your life.
Really great Bible!

[Jason Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

A study Bible that makes connections to Jesus on every page. My full review: https://medium.com/park-recommendatio...

[Tomsugi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is a wonderful resource for students of the Bible at any level. It includes copious study notes from more than 50 contributors and helpful introductions at the beginning of each book. As a preacher and a scholar of God’s Word, general editor, Bryan Chapell, has consistently ensured that each note contains relevant points of application.

Although the study notes are not as extensive as the original ESV Study Bible, they uniquely focus on the gospel storyline connecting the Scriptures together. The goal is to “show readers, passage by passage, how each particular book carries forward God’s redemptive purposes in history, culminating in Christ” (xxvii).

This Bible also contains over 80,000 cross-references throughout and the back matter contains a helpful topical index, concordance, and a set of color maps. This volume also comes with a book jacket and ribbon marker. In addition, it includes five original articles on “Biblical Theology,” “Covenants,�� “The Gospel in the Old Testament,” “The Gospel in the New Testament,” and “The Relation of the Old Testament to the New Testament.” These articles express the philosophy on which this Bible was developed. For example, “biblical theology focuses on the ‘forest’ instead of the ‘trees’ and “works on the assumption that God revealed the gospel progressively over many successive eras and embedded it as the story of many diverse individuals and institutions” (1928).

I specifically reviewed the notes for Isaiah having just preached through that book of the Bible. The study notes were not extensive, but followed the general outline in the introduction. These study notes uniquely made a higher number of references to the New Testament than typical commentaries on Isaiah. For example, the note for Isaiah 9:1-21 explains the passage in Isaiah as referring to the Messiah as the Scriptural cross-references clearly point to Jesus as the Messiah. Even though Isaiah’s readers would not have known the identity of Jesus as the coming Messiah, these notes were written retrospectively with the end in view. In addition, the application portion of this note addresses the church’s responsibility to know the gospel and to make it known. This interpretative philosophy is further described in the article, “The Gospel in the Old Testament.”

It might have been helpful to have more color charts to summarize the progress of revelation from book to book. The editors attempted to do this verbally, but it would have been visually impacting to see this as well.


* Crossway has provided a complimentary copy of this book through the Blog Review Program.

[Anna Porter Maddox]

Okay, I feel kinda fake putting this on goodreads, but it has been a long time coming! I finished this specific study Bible this morning after three years..! It was so cool how the authors were able to show how Scripture all points to Jesus and is a part of the same big story. This was also my first time reading the Bible completely. I definitely have not had the discipline I wanted to when I started reading this, but nevertheless, the LORD works through His Word and has grown me with it. I am grateful and rejuvenated today!

[Rob Hotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will feed your soul.